Regis University to host ‘Stronger Together’ cybersecurity summit Jan. 28

Daylong event features Regis cyber experts and industry leaders from Arrow Electronics, the state of Colorado, CenturyLink and more

 

Regis University’s College of Computer and Information Sciences (CCIS) will host a cybersecurity conference for government, businesses and higher education institutions from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 28, at its Northwest Denver Campus.

Designed to share knowledge about defending against and recovering from a cyberattack, the “Stronger Together” summit will include expertise from Regis faculty and industry leaders from Arrow Electronics, CenturyLink, the state of Colorado and more. Led by CCIS’ Center for Information Assurance Studies (CIAS) and The Center for Common Good Computing, the goal is to unite and strengthen our communities against future threats.

The event, which is only $50 per person, includes breakfast and lunch. Attendance is limited. Please register here.

“We decided early on we wanted to share what we learned from the cyberattack that Regis experienced last summer,” said CCIS Dean Shari Plantz-Masters. “We have rounded up some of the top minds in the cyber-defense field and opened the event up to businesses, government entities, other educational institutions and the public. We hope everyone benefits from this day of learning and collaborating.”

Regis Chief Information Officer Jagan Gudur will provide an overview of a cyberattack on Regis on Aug. 21 that disrupted the University’s digital network, phones and website.  Afterward, Deborah Blyth, the state’s chief information security officer, and a Regis alumna, will share some of the lessons learned from a similar incident at the Colorado Department of Transportation in 2018.

A panel discussion covering prevention best practices will include, among others, Regis alumnus Patrick Hellman, vice president of information technology and chief security officer at Arrow Electronics; James Ball, chief information security officer at Western Power; Col. Harold T. Hoang, chief information officer for the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs; and Blyth.

Homeland Security will present a session about federal law enforcement efforts during a lunchtime session. Several workshops aimed at mitigating threats and risks will fill the afternoon.

“We hope this conference leads to a culture of openness and sharing that results in a stronger common defense, like a ‘cybersecurity neighborhood watch’,” said CIAS Director Bob Bowles.

CIAS educates and informs individuals, businesses and government agencies about how to protect and manage digital information and systems, and it hosts the annual Rocky Mountain Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (March 5-7, 2020) at Regis.

Regis’ Center for Common Good Computing fosters collaboration, cutting-edge solutions and diversity in the cybersecurity and data science fields to build a safer, more socially responsible cyber community.

This event will be held at Claver Hall on Regis’ Northwest Denver Campus, 3333 Regis Blvd. Attendees are encouraged to park in Lot 6, where parking is $5 for the day, at the corner of Federal Boulevard and Regis Boulevard (50th Ave.). A free shuttle service, running 7:30 – 9 a.m. and 3:30 – 5:30 p.m., will be provided.

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About Regis University

Established in 1877, Regis University is a premier, globally engaged institution of higher learning in the Jesuit tradition that prepares leaders to live productive lives of faith, meaning and service. Regis University, one of 27 Jesuit universities in the nation, has three campus locations in the Denver-metro area and extensive online program offerings with more than 8,000 enrolled students.